Third Cup
Third Cup (of my heart)
For doubtful and bruised hearts kept.
For a world that doesn't end with a heartbreak and a new found love.
For promises made stronger.
And lastly, for our love ones never forgotten.
Seohyun sat down in front of Tiffany for their afternoon breaks at the coffee shop greeting her friend with a smile. "How was work?" she asked as usual.
Tiffany suddenly leaned closer, ignoring her question. "So," her friend started, grinning. "Did your 'new friend' visit?"
Seohyun leaned back in her chair, rolling her eyes on her friend. She should have known better than to tell Tiffany about Yonghwa when she knew she is probably the most romantic person she knows, but it was too late now wasn't it? Her nosy friend is already on it. "Do I really have to tell you, Tiff? I mean-"
"Yah! That's what I'm here for. So, of course you do!" Tiffany said, as if it was the most obvious part of their friendship.
"What if I refuse?" She tried being stubborn as her friend.
Tiffany laughed. "I don't think so, Seohyun. I'm not leaving here until you tell all the things I want and have to know."
For a moment there, she thought her brother was the one talking to her. She sighed remembering. "You and my brother are really alike, huh?"
At the mention of her brother, a flicker of sadness passes through, but then it was gone as soon as it and Tiffany nodded, radiating her smile more. "I learn from the best." She smiles, annoying her even more. "Now details!"
Sighing in frustration for the umpteenth time of the day because of some customers and now her best friend, she shrugged in defeat and turned her head's up. "Yes, he stopped by. Happy?"
Tiffany nodded grinning as she listened attentively about that night when he came for the third time, though Seohyun noticed her smile growing more and more with details she had complied. There were times when she went on with the story, that she found herself pausing or as if mesmerized herself how she remembers the details almost so accurately and even remember what she felt at those moments as if she was reliving them.
That night wasn't much; really, they shared mostly moments of solitude and some simple information normally exchanged between people in normal circumstances. But then what made all the difference was that she trusted him, despite being a stranger. She'd never done that before and that was what dawn to her the moment she finished and she realized that her best friend, Hwang Tiffany looked at her as if she was an open book.
Tiffany squealed breaking the silence. "Oh my gosh, I knew it!"
A moment of confusion brushes through her. "What? What are you talking about?"
At that moment, Tiffany looked at her as if she knew something she didn't. Her eyes sparkled with amusement that she wasn't getting. "I think..." Tiffany paused, as if thinking. "You... my friend is in the verge of finally finding your match" she says, adding a smile.
She frowned, still at the moment of disorientation. "Will you stop talking in another language, Tiff. I don't understand a thing."
Tiffany shook her head. "I think you do. You're just ignoring it, Seohyun” she says rolling her eyes, "Like always."
"Tiffany-"
"You know, Seohyun, liking someone isn't the end of the world."
"Can you stop that? I don't like anyone. I've only seen him three times."
"And yet you trust him, somehow."
That made her pause. She wanted to deny it but she knew her friend knew better. "How do you know that?"
Tiffany laughed a little, looking at her straight. "You don't just let strangers come and go, Seohyun. And that stranger you're talking about, you even let him stay and linger around you. Even I don't do that."
She looked away because she had to, afraid that Tiffany would see through her again. She didn't want any more of that. "It's not going to happen, Tiff. I'm not going to be like him."
Tiffany didn't say anymore, knowing part of the reason. Silence took over them for a long time, and her thoughts lingered around different memories of her past.
Falling in love is one thing, falling out of it is an entirely different story.
Seohyun had much witnessed the difference in between when it came to her father, which is why she learned to guard her own heart as strictly as possible at such an early age.
There were a lot of things about her people found different. For example, how she found books particularly more interesting than dressing herself or going after boys when she was still young. Or that she didn't act so lady-like as well of every other girls did. Her patience ticked like a bomb, as what her father always said with laughter whenever people pointed it out. Even now, things still seem to be the same.
There were also times when she caught his father staring into space, then he would say something like, you should have stayed and guided her-- because I don't know if what I do is good enough.
Even if her father doesn't say or point out a particular person, she knew who that person was. And every one of those moments, she remembers feeling a tight knot inside of her squeezing her heart until her lungs empties that she has to turn and run away to gasp for air.
She knew her father had loved her mother until his dying day, even when she had left their family for another. And until now, she still didn't understand that kind of love.
She knew of affection, yes, thanks to knowing Hwang Tiffany, who's known to be very fond of her big brother. But that was all. There was an uncertain reason that kept her from finding out the answer.
After their kept silence, Tiffany finally spoke and she turned to look at her.
"You know, Siwon oppa called last night..." Tiffany said, trailing off, as Seohyun something sad on her voice.
"Is there something wrong?" She felt nervous all of a sudden.
"Nothing, he's fine. Great, actually" She says with a smile while her eyes said otherwise. "He called me yesterday because you missed his call. He said," she paused, "He's getting married, Seohyun." She finishes quietly with a small smile in her lips.
Seohyun didn't know what to say. It wasn't the fact that her brother is planning to get married but because she knew Tiffany, out of all the people, would be happy despite her feelings for her brother.
"Fany-ah..."
"I know I know, Seohyun. It's not the end of the world."
"You're damn right, it’s not." Tiffany smiles but she doesn't. She'd had enough of pretending.
"Do you have somewhere to go again Yonghwa?" Jonghyun peered when he noticed Yonghwa had been looking back and forth at the clock hanging on the wall.
"I..." He says first hesitating "I don't"
"Are you sure?" Jonghyun smiles at him as if he knows something he shouldn't
"Yeah..." Yonghwa trails off staring at his friend trying to figure him out then gives up turning away when jonghyun kept his usual safety smile.
He knows that smile well and he also knows what it's for. It’s the kind that keeps his thoughts as secrets so no one would be able to read them. It's the one habit he hates the most from Jonghyun.
He looks back at the clock that read, thirty minutes before midnight, wondering if a certain someone is still awake. A sudden frustration rushes through him, hating the feeling distraction all over again. Especially when he'd been pretty much distracted the whole day.
Frowning, he stands on his feet putting his guitar down and went for some water. "Maybe if you let me come with you, Hyungnim won't be suspicious" Jonghyun says and he stops and looks at him again, surprised.
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean, going out. You look like you're about to explode. Go see her."
His heart almost stops at Jonghyun's remark. "W-What?!"
Jonghyun smirks. "I'm right, aren't I? It's a girl. You're seeing someone. "
"I- I'm not seeing anyone."
"Then who's Seohyun?"
"I- how did you...?"
Jonghyun laughs and says, "You talk in your sleep." And suddenly he doesn't know what to say. And Jonghyuns looks at him as if he knows something he doesn't. "Does she know?"
"Knows what?" He says, after a moment.
"Who you are and what you do... Does she know?" Yonghwa doesn't answer and Jonghyun doesn't push the question forward knowing the answer was his silence. Without even thinking he went out with just one place in mind.
After a moment of silenced passed, Yonghwa spoke again. "I- I don't know, Jonghyun, but I think... I like her."
Jonghyun smiles, and pats his friend's shoulder, and says, "Well, it’s about time you come out of shell again."
"Guess who?"
Seohyun felt the warm touch and the ever so familiar voice of his long lost big brother.She broke away from his touch grinning from ear to ear Turning around to facing him. "Siwon oppa!"
"Long time no see, kiddo." Seo Siwon put his hand on the top of her head brushing it briefly making her frown in the process as she stared at him.
"You should have called me." She says pouting. "I could have picked you up or something."
He smiles, and says, "And make you come out of this cave?" He asks, "I wouldn't do that to you, Hyun."
"Oppa!" She scolds and he laughs lightly. "You just don't want me to interrogate your fiancé, huh?"
"Save the interrogations later. But I have this strong feeling that you'll love her so I'm not that worried, really. You'll meet her soon, don't worry. She had something urgent to take care of so she couldn't come here with me but she's dying to meet you, promise."
"Oh, then I guess I'm dying to meet her too. That person who finally broke your big ego."
"For your information Seohyun-ssi, my ego is as big as your pride. We're the same blood after all." They both smile warmly at each other. "I heard you finally found your match, dongsaeng. Who's the lucky guy?"
Seohyun can't believe it. Tiffany had told her brother the thing she wasn't supposed to tell him at all. She's a grown up human being and can handle her own affairs, thank you very much. Her best friend will definitely hear from her soon.
She frowned unknowingly and his brother opens his mouth to say something. "Before you start thinking on how to dispatch Tiffany, I have to say she's only concerned with you, Hyeon. I sort of forced it out of her anyway. So who's he?"
Out of all Tiffany's weakness why did it have to be her brother? "No one important." She safely answers. "Will you stop prying? I think I'm old enough to meet people without telling the two of you."
Siwon smirks. "Since you're being all defensive. I guess he is important after all." He finishes grinning at her.
Will I be able to meet him? Someday?" He asks raising an eyebrow.
Surprisingly, she didn't know that answer to that question, nor she wanted to answer it. She turned away instead attempting to change the subject. "You should be good to Tiffany, oppa."
"Changing the subject are we?" He says, "Anyway, you don't have to tell me that. I'm always good to her, you know that."
"I know, but you could do better, I know that too." She smiles knowingly.
"Are you asking me to what I think you're asking me?" He asks a little surprise.
She rolled her eyes. "Yes. I am asking you to introduce someone to her. And that someone better be more than what you are because she definitely deserves better!"
Siwon fakes a hurt expression. "Better than me? That would be next to impossible, I think." He laughs in the end.
"Oh you're so full of yourself oppa"
"How about you?" he says, his smile fading slowly.
"What about me?"